After years-long search, city identifies new landfill site in central Oahu
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - After a years-long search with numerous delays, the city announced Tuesday a new landfill site to replace the aging Nanakuli location.
The city identified a site in central Oahu on agricultural land 1.5 miles past Dole Plantation, along Kamehameha Highway, in what is currently a pineapple field.
The city is looking to acquire approximately 150 acres, including 90 acres for the landfill itself and an additional area for operations and equipment.
The land is privately owned by Dole Food Company. The city would need to purchase the property, which sits on a 2,360-acre parcel, officials said.
In response, Dole Food Company issued a statement Wednesday saying:
“Dole acknowledges the necessity of a new landfill but would like to clarify that the mayor’s office and city leaders independently selected the proposed site without Dole’s involvement or prior consultation. The planned location near Wahiawa directly impacts Dole’s primary pineapple farming operations, posing significant challenges to both state agricultural priorities and our business. Dole is committed to collaborating with city officials to explore more suitable options.”
Tuesday’s announcement is an important step toward the closure of Waimanalo Gulch Sanitary Landfill in West Oahu by 2028, as ordered by the state Land Use Commission.
Finding its replacement hasn’t been easy.
In 2020, the Hawaii State Legislature passed Act 73, which heavily restricts where landfills can be located. For example, they can’t be too close to schools, hospitals, or residential areas.
In 2021, the mayor appointed a Landfill Advisory Committee to rank six potential sites that could comply with this law.
The new location was identified as “Area 3, Site 2″ in the committee’s 2022 recommendation report.
Roger Babcock, director for the Department of Environmental Services, said, “This site was chosen because it is the best site of the six evaluated by our Landfill Advisory Committee in 2021 and 2022, because it is legally acceptable under federal and state laws, including Act 73, because it is away from groundwater wells and residences, because it is accessible by a major state highway, because it has a flat terrain, and because we know that we can build and operate a landfill on this site that will not harm the environment.”
The Board of Water Supply opposed these sites because they were in a designated “No Pass Zone,” a geographic area in the island’s interior where the underlying groundwater aquifer is not protected from surface-level contamination.
“My focus is very narrow. We need water for life,” said Ernest Lau, Board of Water Supply manager and chief engineer. “Potential threats to our water resources, of course you know where I’ll be coming from.”
Lau estimated the site to be roughly 800 feet above the aquifer.
To address this concern, the city is proposing to design, construct and operate the facility in accordance with state and federal requirements, which prioritize public health and safety, including the protection of Oahu’s aquifer system.
The city says after 35 years, the Waimanalo Gulch landfill has not leaked through its liner into subsurface soil and rocks, and the proposed new landfill will be designed and constructed to include even greater protective measures, incorporating the latest technological advances in waste management.
“This is controversial, but we are being as transparent, as intelligent as we possibly can, and as responsible as we can to the people of this island,” said Blangiardi. “There’s a lot of trash. It’s got to go somewhere.”
Honolulu City Council member Matt Meyer, who represents the Wahiawa area, said, “I’m disappointed and concerned in this decision. This isn’t a district specific issue. This is an island-wide issue, and protecting our drinking water should be our top priority.”
If the Wahiawa site is rejected, the city says it would need to seek legislative changes that would enable siting a landfill closer to residences, schools and/or hospitals than is currently allowed by Act 73.
Potential locations along the Waianae Coast were previously eliminated by the mayor for equitable and operational reasons.
“I’m going to be vigilant on this issue because I don’t think it’s out of the West side until it’s out of the West side,” said Honolulu City Council member Andria Tupola, who represents West Oahu.
The city says Whitmore Village would be roughly 2.5 miles away from the future landfill.
Residents say some of their biggest concerns are about the impact the landfill could have on agricultural land, and if Kamehameha Highway can handle all the trucks that would transport the garbage.
The city says 30 trucks currently travel to Waimanalo Gulch, and they travel during off-peak hours.
Officials said Tuesday’s announcement is just the start of the process. It will begin an environmental impact statement that will include public input sessions and presentations at neighborhood boards.
Previous coverage
- City prepares to announce new landfill site; here’s what’s being considered
- New potential landfill sites identified, require changes to state law
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